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AIBU?

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AIBU to think I was being groomed?

30 replies

Candlemass · 20/05/2026 21:02

Hi, A longtime poster but name changed for this. AIBU to think that I was groomed. This all happened a long time ago but it plays on my mind a lot recently. When I was 16 I had sex /affair with a married man. He and his wife were friends of my parents ( although they were quite a bit younger than them) The man in question started noticing me and complementing me when I was about 15. I had a Saturday job in the place he worked,so I would see him there as well as babysitting his 2 young children, he would pay me a lot of attention and I was young enough and silly enough to be flattered. I thought I was in love with him. His wife was a lovely person who was very kind to me ( by this time my mum was dying of cancer) He also slept with other women too. Sometimes he was very verbally nasty to me , but I kept crawling back. I still feel guilty, he is long dead and his wife left him due to his drinking and eventual DV. She was so sweet and kind to me and trusted me with her children and that is how I repaid her by sleeping with her husband. After a year or two I started avoiding him and got a boyfriend of my own age. I am in my 60s now. It did not occur to me that I could have been groomed as that really wasn't a thing in those days, think 'Rita ,Sue and Bob too!' but now I think I might have been. What do you think?

OP posts:
Endofyear · 20/05/2026 21:56

Yes you were groomed, 16 is still a child and he took advantage of you. I'm so sorry that happened to you. Please don't feel guilty about his wife, he was the one in the wrong, not you.

Hicupping · 20/05/2026 21:27

He was not a good person and you were very young. Please don't blame yourself.

DaisyChain505 · 20/05/2026 21:14

Yes you were groomed. This was a grown man taking advantage of a young vulnerable child whose parent was dying!

I’m really sorry you went through this and I hope you haven’t carried any guilt towards the wife seeing as you knew her too.

Watchoutfortheslowaraf · 20/05/2026 21:05

Yes you were. He took advantage of being young and vulnerable with your mum being so poorly. You were a victim so please don’t feel guilty. You were a child.

CatherinedeBourgh · 20/05/2026 21:04

Of course you were. I'm sorry this happened to you.